Britons confused by new technology

One in three still can't set the VCR

Many Britons think new technology and gadgets are too complicated, a new PayPal survey has shown. Over half of those questioned (53 per cent) said they don't bother with new technology, as techie jargon and new gadgets confuse them.

Even though video players are almost a thing of the past, one in three respondents admitted to still having trouble setting them. The situation with digital video recorders was even worse, with 77 per cent saying they don't know how.

Feature-heavy mobile phones are another tech blackspot. Over 60 per cent said they only use four features on their phones, and two in five didn't even know if their mobile phone had a camera.

Neil Edwards from PayPal said: "It's a worrying sign for Britain that so many of us are baffled and therefore turned off by technology. There's no hiding from technology, so burying your head in the sand won't make it go away. We all must embrace technology or risk becoming the tech illiterates of the world."

Of the 1,000 or so people surveyed, 70 per cent used a computer regularly, 75 per cent owned a mobile phone, and 77 per cent had a DVD player or recorder. A quarter (27 per cent) owned a portable music player.

However, these figures are higher for younger age groups. Of 16- to 24-year-olds, 93 per cent regularly use a computer, and 70 per cent use a digital music player player. Among 25- to34-year-olds, 36 per cent have an MP3 player, whereas only 11 per cent of over 45s do.